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(No Model.)

G. N. CLEMSON & W. MILLSPAUGHQ TOOL gown.

Patented Apr .'1Z', 1887.-

N Puzns. Phalo-uhognphar, Wanmzwn. 0.6.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE N. CLEMSON AND WILLIAM MILLSPAUGH, OF MIDDLETOWN, NEWV YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THE WHEELER, MADDEN & CLEMSON MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TOOL-HOLDER.

FPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,854, dated April 12, 1887.

Application filed November 24, 1886. Serial No. 219,818. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE N. CLEMSON and WILLIAM MILLSPAUGH, of Middletown,

in the county of Orange and State of New York,

IQ to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to a tool-holder, and more particularly to a type in which different kinds of tools may be inserted and held securel y, one handle answering for several tools. 1 The object of our invention is to furnish a simple inexpensive tool-holder that will securely clamp and hold in operative position different styles of tools. For example, akeyhole saw, a screw-driver, a chisel, a gouge, or asurface-scraper may be successively removed, inserted, and held with equal firmness'for use.

Afurther object is to provide a saw or screwdriver holder or handle that will afford an extended frictional contact of bearing-surface,

formed by a spring handle and clamp, for a key-hole-saw blade or the metallic shank of a screw-driver, and thus permit either of these tools to be shortened or lengthened in their blades and beheld in any desired position or degree of extension within the range of such blades in a firm solid manner.

With these objects in view our invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, that will be hereinafter 3 5 described, and pointed out in the claims.

Prior. to our invention handles that permit the successive or interchangeable use of several tools of different character have been made with contracting-nuts that clamp round or 0 squared shanks of the tools, and saw-handles have been made of metal that have a cavity in their body to permit the sliding therein of a saw-blade to lengthen or shorten this blade for varying uses.

The first-mentioned of these devices are expensive to construct, and the saw-handles that permit extension of the blade hold this blade by the direct contact of a set-screw with the saw-blade, which is forced by the thrust of the screw against the metal face of the handle. This method of construction fails to afford a ,secure support to the blade, and, further, has

mit the blade to be quickly lengthened or shortened, as may be necessary. 1

In the drawings making a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side View of the holder. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the device. Fig. 3 is a front end and side view of the ban dle with an attached tool.

A represents the handle or grip stock. It is shaped to afford secure and convenient hold for the hands of the operator. It is preferably made of hard elastic wood. The forward 7c endof the handle A is reduced to form a cylindrical body, B, that extends rearwardly, and its termination produces a shoulder, a, on the body of the handle. Upon the cylindrical part B a ferrule, C, made of metal, is fitted 7 neatly. The handle-body A is slotted longitudinally through its center from the front end to the point 1), near the rear end, and it is important that a sufficient portion of the wood shall remain uncut to hold the divided parts c c of the handle intact and permit the forward ends of these pieces to be made to bear upon each other or anything introduced into the slot between them.

The ferrule C is secured by a screw, 6, to the piece 0, the other portion, 0, of the handle A being free to move laterally towardthe opposed face of the secured part c. A thumbscrew, D, is made to fit a perforated and threaded boss, (I, made in the side of the fer- 0 rule C,at a point central between the edges of the piece 0', upon which the screw D is intended to press.

A metal disk, t, is embedded in a recessed cavity made for it in the piece 0' in a position 5 to receive the frictional contact of the end of the screw D.

If it is found desirable, the two spring-sections 0 a may be made of separate pieces of wood, and joined at their rear ends by a screw or other means, to form a rigid connection of the joined pieces, a slot being formed between them for the reception of the tools, the ferrule and set'screw being affixed in the manner hereinbefore explained.

In operation, the holder,when used as a handle for key-hole saws, receives the blade of the saw in the slit made in the body, and by action of the screw G the two parts 0 c are forced toward each other. The slotted material of the handle will have sufficient elasticity to conform to and have a bearing upon the side surface of the saw-blade, the teeth taking such hold as to prevent yielding or slipping of the saw between these jaws. The sawblade S may be extended to use the rear portion, or held with a short length for use extended from the handle, as is necessary for proper rigidity of the slender front end of this type of saws, this end being used to saw small irregularshaped holes. It is also evident that the rear portions of screw-driver blades, chisels, gouges, or scrapers may be made to fit this holder, and thus afford a common handle for a number of different tools.

\Ve are aware that it is old to provide a split handle with a split ring, the latter adapted to compress the split end of the handle by means of a screw passing through the flanged ends of the split ring, and hence we make no claim to such a construction.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Atool-holder having aslotted elastic handle, a ferrule surrounding the slotted end of the handle and provided with a screw-threaded opening, and a set-screw mounted in said opening and adapted to bear against the section of the handle on one side of the slot, substantially as set forth.

2. A tool-holder havingaslotted handle the two connected sections of which are slightly elastic, a ferrule surrounding theslotted end of said handle and secured to one of said sections, and a set-screw mounted in the ferrule and adapted to bear against the other section, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a. slotted handle the connected sections of which are slightly elastic, of a metallic ferrule secured to one of the sections, a set-screw'inserted in the wall of the ferrule, and a metal washer embedded in the su rfuce of a spring-section and adapted to receive the thrust-end of the set-screw that clamps the handle-sections toward each other, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE J. CLEMSON. W ILLIAlll llIlLLSPAUGH.

W ituesses:

O. Q. HUMPIIREY, FRANK. B. HATHAWAY. 

